Sill straightener



' F. H. SCHWERIN SILL STRAIGHTENER Filed Aug. 25, 1923 Patented Feb. 3, 1925.

FRANK H. SCHWERIN, or

MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PITT OF PENNSYLVANIA.

wns'r VIEW, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE DUFF SBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION SILL STIRiAIGI-LTENER.

Application filed August 25, 1923. Serial No. 659,268.

To all whom z'tmay concern; 7 Beit known that I, FRANK H. SCHWERIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of West View,'in the county of Allegheny and State of- Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Sill Straightener, of which the following is a specification.

The subject of the invention-is a tool particularly for straightening the center sills of freight-cars, which frequently become bent and the straightening of which heretofore has been a laborious and lengthy matter. The object is-to provide an implement of simple and strong construction and moderate weight, convenient to use, having a narrow maximumspacing, adapted for both forcing apart and drawing inward on the bent sills,

and applicable, removable, operatable, and directly changeable from one operation to the other as required, all in the most 'convenient manner.

In the accomanying drawings forming a part hereof:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in position to car sills;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the nuttravelers turned upside down with reference to Fig. 1 and in position to act to spread a pair of sills; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the nut-travelers.

One part of the tool is a stout screw-bar 1,-

the two parts 2, 2 of which, extending oppothem,

sitel'y from the central portion, are reversely screw-threaded, the thread in one partbeing right-hand and in the other part lefthand. Fixed on the center of the bar is a ratchet-wheel 3, while swung on this part of the bar is a lever-socket and pawl-case 4 containing a pawlto engage with and turn the ratchet.

On the parts 2, 2 of the screw are duplicate but reversely positioned nut-travelers 5, 5. These have a central opening through threaded to engage the threads of the screw, which passes through the travelers.

On one side of each traveler is a flat bearing face 6, parallel with the axis of the screw; and projecting laterally from the traveler and occupying about half its length is a buttress 7 the working face 8 of which forms an approximately square internal minimum and an ample draw inward on a pair of anglewith the face The buttresses of the two travelers face away from each other. v v

At the opposite side .l jof each traveler is another side bearingface 9, which is over-- hung by a fiat: jaw 10, leaving. a slotted recess 11 lyingsubstantially parallel with i the axis. This jaw originates from the bod of the traveler at the opposite end or hal from the buttressv 7, so that the jaw and buttress'are longitudinally offset and face reversely with respect to each other.

The two remaining sides of each traveler may be utilized for chain-hooks 12, which face in the same direction as thejaw of the traveler and reversely. to the buttress. Fig. 2 shows the jack in position for forcing outward on the center sills of a car atone point, the buttresses being introduced between the channelsills, with their faces 8 against the backs of the channels and theirfaces 6 against the faces of the flanges. It will be noted that the angle between the faces 6 and 8 is a little less than a right angle, the face 8 being slightly inclined from the perpendicular to the axis of the screw; so that the buttress will thrust first at the tip, or at a point away from the base, so that any springing of the screw will be counteracted and a full purchase be insured. By simply turning the travelers upside down in the views, and running them out or in, their action can be changed from. spreading to drawing in, and vice-versa. Fig. 1 shows them applied for forcing the sills inward. The bottoms of the flanges of the sills bear upon the faces 9, and the flanges 'are overhung by 1 the jaws 10, the backs of the recesses 11 at the bases of the jaws thrusting against the edges of the flanges.

In this way the sills of a car can be readily straightened by thrusting them apart at one or more points, and drawing them to other at one or more other points,

as may e required. Notwithstanding that straighten the same. v

s it 1 a The chain-hooks 12 are'serviceablain connection with chains (not shown) 2 for pulllnw. the bulged sides of freight cars.

' at I claim as new is: v e

5 1. A. device of the character describedcomprising a rightand'left-hand screw bar with ratchet-levermeans on the. central part of "the bar, and WW) nut-travelers on the reversely threaded-halves of" the bar, said i travels being'formed each with :2, buttress pro ecting laterally from one side of the traveler forming an approximately square internal angle therewith,- and With'a jaw overhanging the other side so as to leave wardly away from the central part of the bar and the jaws facing inwardly toward each other, whereby the device is adapted to "act outwardly between, and inwardly on the -flanges of, a--pair of channel sills,' to

2. As an article of manufacture, the here other. v

a slotted recess, the buttresses 'facing out in described block having a screw-threaded opening therethrough, a fiat bearing face on one side, a fiat-faced buttress project ing from said side forming approximately a square angle with said bearing face, and an overhanging jaw on the opposite side of the block forming a slotted recess, the buttress and the jaw facing reversely to each 3.- As an article of manufacture, the here in described block having a screwthreaded opening therethrough, a fiat bearing face on one side, a flat-facedL buttress projecting from sa d side form ng approximately a. square angle wlth saidfbearmgface, an over- 

